Retaining means



Feb. 14, 1939. w, A. HElTNER 2,147,034

RETAINING MEANS W. A. HEITNER RETAINING MEANS Feb. 14, 1939.

Filed Nov. 27, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 14, 1939. w. A. HEITNl-:R 2,147,034

I RETAINING MEANS Filed NQv. 27, 195e 4 sheets-sheet 4 Figi QQ Q .Li l.-

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 Y UNI-TED STATES PATENT .oF-FICE RETAINING. NEANS VWilliam'A. Heitner, Chicago; A111., assignor toW. H. Miner,- Inc.; Chicago;l Ill.,` a.' corporation' of Delaware Application November 27, 19.36-,1fS7erial-.No. 112,937

6 Claims. (Cl:"'213-:32)

Thisfinvention .relates .tosimprovementsin reits normal-afoverall;length;4 and illustrating my tainingmeans, especially fadapted for use with improvedffretainingfmeans in `the position asfriction shockabsorbin'g mechanisms of railway sumedggafterf;theeshoulderedengagement thereof draft riggings, and more particularly toretaining withgthe .fretainingnboltphas been destroyed. Figof means for temporarily holding `themechanism ure-5'fis: a lview:similar-to Figure l1 illustrating 5 partly `compressed ;to.shorten:the.overall length anothers-:embodiment of :the: invention. Figure thereof-prior vto. and duringapplicationof the 6.is a-rbroken.viewisimilarSto.Y Figure V5, showing same tothe, car, to.facilitate inserting the mechthesforward endpportion only of the structure anisminto the pocket ofthe rigging. illustrated; in Figure 51. and illustratingthe shock l; One `object of the invention isito provide in a absorbing mechanism yin .full vrelease position ex- 10 shock absorbingmechanism for railwaydraft pandedrftoa.normalzroveralllength and my imriggings, simple and efficient retaining means proved retaining means-in` theY position assumed having shouldered engagement'with the usual reafterlfishouldered; .engagement thereof with the taining bolt of the shock absorbing mechanism retainer boltihas beentdestroyed.

;. for temporarily holding the Vlatter under a predezfIn isaidirdrawings,ithexsdraft sills of ra railway 15 termined amount Vof initial compression, thereby Carrarefzdesignatedrby;I0-l0. lThe :sills :.IU--l reducing'the overall length thereof to facilitate havesthansual,irontfiand rearfstop lugs lI-I l placing the same between the stop` members of and iIZ-J Zoi'ixed togtheiinner facesthereof. 'The the draftsills of the car, 'the shouldered engageinnerzendY ofaheqcouplenshank' of the draft rigmentbeing vrendered inoperative through operaging `is designatedyby I3fand a hooded yoke lll 20 tion of thevshock absorbing mechanism in service, ofzfwell-known formfis-cionnected thereto in the thus `permitting expansion of the shock absorbusualimanner. .Airfrontfmain follower I5 and ing mechanism to its normal maximum` overall ashocklgabsorbing'mechanism16; in which my length to meet service conditions. improvements' areembodied, are disposed within A further and more specic object of theinventhe yoke. 25

tion -to Aprovide means of the character de- :Althoughxmygimproved.retaining means is cascribed in the preceding-paragraph in the form pablexof.-iemployment-with-any kwell-known :type of a holding'nut ythreaded on the retainer bolt of ofsh'ock.. absorbing mechanismcomprising relathe shock absorbingl mechanism, so arranged and tively movablefmembershavingspring-means redesigned that the threads thereof are readily sisting.iapproachthereoftofcushion `the shocks, 30 stripped: through actuation ofr the/shock absorbing intheipres'entrinstance;myiimproved lretaining mechanism in service to permit the mechanism means..fis'fillustratedi-asemployed in. connection to immediately assume-its proper overall length. with':one.^wel1-known,type of friction shock ab- Other objects of the invention will more clearly sorbingmechanism. The vffriction shock absorbappear from the description and claims hereiningemechanismaillustrated;infthe'rdrawings in- 35 after following. cludesi. azffriction shell I 11. having a Arear enlarged In the drawings forming a part of this speciportion.il8si'cooperating with the rear stop lugs cation, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sec- I-2-'I.2. i rEhe shell A1; @contains Vthe usual spring tional view through the underframe structure resistancezsmeanss-comprisingsinner and outer 40 and shock absorbing mechanism of a railwaycar, coilsfl Ssandfll. 1A I.plurality of' frictionfshoes 40 illustrating my improvements in connection 2l-2I-2I have frictional engagement with the therewith, the shock absorbing mechanism being innenasurfacesofftheiwallssof lthe shell Il and a illustrated as slightly contracted or shortened. wedge;iblock.hasfwedgingengagement with the Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view shoesiriinzitheiusualfmanner. f Thevwedge block 22 on an enlarged scale, corresponding substantially cooperates withrthegfront main'follower I5. The 45 to the line 2-2 of Figure 1, the friction shell and parts `ofthe fmechanism are held assembled by a shoes being omitted. Figure 3 is a broken View, retainerzbolt--23headed at lthe rear end, as indion an enlarged scale, similar to Figure l, but catedfat\2`4;andhavinga-nut Zithreaded on the showing Vthe forward end` portion only of the front end-thereof,` theheaded endlhaving shoulstructure disclosed in said figure, the friction shell dered-,engagement..with .an inwardly projecting 50 and shoes being omitted. Figure 4 is a broken hollow bossfLlZG-On therear WallA 0f the Shell IT. view, similar to Figure 1, showing theforward Thenut,25 of,the retainerbolt 23 is accommo- `endportion only of the structure illustrated in dated ina pocketfxopening" through the front Figure 1 and disclosing the shock absorbing end. .o'the wedge`blockf22.

mechanismln fullrelease position expanded Vto ,Ref,erring.to"'the embodiment. 'of the invention 55 illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the improved retaining means for temporarily holding the mechanism shortened so as to permit application of the same within the gear pocket between the draft sills of the car, consists of a nut 21 in the form of a relatively thin disc having a central opening 28` provided with threads 29 adapted to engage with the threads 3|] of the bolt 23. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the discshaped nut 21 is of such a diameter that it projects laterally outwardly beyond the sides of the retaining nut 25. The nut 21 is provided with four'notches 3|-3| in the periphery thereof to facilitate application of the nut, the notches being formed to receive the engaging portion of a spanner wrench or similar tool for rotating the nut.

As will be evident, the nut 21 vwhen in position on the bolt 23, as shown in Figure 1, holds the shock absorbing mechanism partly compressed, the overalllength underthis condition being such'that ample clearance is provided between the shock absorbing mechanism and the front and rear ends'of the draft Vgear pocket .of the underframe structure of the'car -to permit an easy insertion of the same into the pocket. The nut 21 is so designed that the strength of the shouldered connection provided by the cooperating threads of the same and the bolt 23 is ample to hold tightly and not break down by stripping of the threads so long-as the force exerted thereon does not materially exceed the potential energy of the compressed springs, but is insulcient to resist stripping of said threads when subjected tothe usual recoil force of the springs inrelease of the mechanism after having been compressed in absorbing ashockunder actual service conditions. To provide a shouldered connection which has thecharacteristics indicated, the threaded connection between the nut 21 and the bolt 23 is somewhat loose to provide a certain amount of play and the number of engaging thread members on the nut are limited by forming the nut of relatively thin material. The nut 21 is preferably made of the same metal as the bolt and having the same degree of hardness, but the invention is not limited to a nut ofthis character and one of softer material than the bolt and made of theproper thickness to have the characteristics indicated may be. employed with equally good results. It is .further pointed out that although the best and most reliable results are obtained-by providing the loose threaded connection between the nut 21 and the bolt 23, it is obviously within the invention to employ a nut having the standardv thread t with the threads of the bolt wherein the strength of the threaded connection is such that the nut will hold the mechanism Y temporarily partly compressed but will not stand up under the recoil action of the springs.

When the friction shock absorbing mechanism is first assembled, the retainer bolt Vis applied by inserting the same through the rear end of the friction shell |1, with the spring, friction shoes, and wedge in place within theshell. The nuts 21 and 25 are then successively threaded on the Vbolt 23, the nut 21 being screwed inwardly on the bolt to the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 the thickness of the nutfr21j interposed between the' shoulder of vthe wedge" 22' and the' nut25`, the

shock absorbing mechanism will be held against expansion to an extent beyond the maximum overall length required in service and so as to properly cooperate with the front and rear stop lugs and |2-I2 of the draft sills. In other words, the nut 25 is so adjusted that the rear end of the friction shell Will bear on the rear stop lugs |2|2 and the front follower l5, which is engaged by the wedge 22, will bear on the front stop lugs ll-II when the mechanism is fully expanded with the threads of the nut 21 stripped so that the nut is loose on the bolt 23 and acts as a filler member between the nut 25 and the stop shoulder of the wedge block 22. In this connection it is pointed out that the nut 21 may be manipulated for adjusting the mechanism to its shortened overall length after the nut 25 has been applied and adjusted to position to determine the maximum overall length of the shock absorbing mechanism in service, the nut 21 being readily accessible through the open front end of the pocket 26 of the wedge 22, their being sufcient clearance between the nut 25 and the side walls of the pocket to accommodate and permit manipulation of a Spanner wrench or similar tool for turning the nut 21. As will be evident, the shock absorbing mechanism I6 when when i'lrst inserted within the draft gear pocket is of the shortened overall length shown in Figure 1 and remains of that length, held by the nut 21, until the shock absorbing mechanism is operated in service to obsorb shocks in the usual manner. As is well understood by those skilled in this art, the shock absorbing mechanism in service on a railway car is compressed to a greater or less extent to absorb shocks of different degrees of intensity, each compression of the mechanism being followed by releasing action thereof, wherein the spring expands due to reduction of the actuating force to move the parts towards the normal full release position of the mechanism. This recoil of the spring in service projects the wedge outwardly with suilicient force to strip the threads of the nut 21 and permit expansion of the mechanism to its normal full overall length as limited by the heavy fixed nut 25 `on the bolt 23. This stripping of the threads of the nut 21 is accomplished by the rst substantial recoiling action of the spring of the mechanism and thereafter the mechanism is free to expand to its permissible maximum overall length, as clearly shown in Figure 4.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 5v and 6, the constructionA is substantially the same as that described in connection with Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, with the exception that the nut, which is indicated by |21, for temporarily holding the mechanism under compression is so arranged and designed that stripping of the threads thereof is effected through compression of the mechanism instead of through the recoil thereof. As shown in Figure 5, the nut |21 is in the form of a relatively thin ,disc threaded on the bolt 23 and in shouldered engagement with the inner end wall of the pocket 26 of the wedge 22, thereby holding the mechanism partly compressed. The nut |21 is so positioned with respect to the front end of the bolt 23 that the end of the bolt and the nut 25 protrude a short distance beyond the outer limits of the wedge block 22. As will Y be evident, the full impact of the shock imparted to the shock absorbing mechanismis thus initially transmitted to the bolt 23 and the nut 121,' vthereby eifecting stripping of the threads of the nut T21 fwhic'h is in shouldered engagementf'with -the wedge' 22;- and* permitting movement of theboltlengthwise in the nut '|21 so that lthev -boltwill be -projected inwardly with respect to rthewedge-*ZZ 1Vuntil-"the Wedgeis engagedfand actuated-by `the'front follower I 5. Inasmuch as the threads of the. nut have been thus stripped, "the latterthereafter acts merely as a ller member between the nut and the shoulderV at the-inner-lendfof the pocket of the wedge 22 in a manner similar to the nut 21 hereinbefore described so that the nut 25 functions to limit the expansion of the mechanism to the permissible maximum uniform overall length required in service.

I .have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same isrmerely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modiflcations that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a shock absorbing mechanism for railway draft riggings, the combination with yieldingly resisted, relatively movable members adapted to cushion shocks upon relative approach thereof; of retaining means for holding said shook absorbing mechanism partly contracted when initially assembled, said retaining means including a pair of members in shouldered engagement with each other and in shouldered engagement respectively with said movable members to limit relative separation of the latter, the shouldered connection between said pair of members being of a strength to hold tightly and resist stripping of the shoulders thereof under the action of a force corresponding to the potential energy ofV said partly compressed mechanism, but of insufficient strength to resist stripping thereof when subjected to a greater force; and stop means on one of said last named members engageable by the other of said last named members after said shouldered connection is stripped for positively limiting relative separation of said shock cushioning members.

2. In a shock absorbing mechanism for railway draft riggings, the combination with spring resisted, relatively movable members adapted to cushion shocksupon relative approach thereof; of a retainer bolt anchored to one of said members; a holding member surrounding and having shouldered engagement with said bolt and the other of said movable members for holding said shock absorbing mechanism' partly contracted when initially assembled, said shouldered connection between the holding member and bolt being of a strength to resist stripping of the shoulders thereof when subjected to the potential energy of said partly compressed mechanism but of insuicient strength to resist stripping by a force greater than said potential energy; and a retainer nut fixed to said bolt and spaced outwardly and in overhanging relation with respect to said holding member, said nut being engageable by said holding member to limit outward movement of the latter `on said bolt when the shouldered connection of said holding member with the bolt has been stripped, thereby limiting relative separation. of said members and maintaining said mechanism of maximum uniform overall length.

3. In a shock absorbing mechanism for railway draft riggings, the combination with relas tively movable members adaptedV to absorb shocks upon relative approach thereof; of spring means opposing y krelative approach off-said'. members; and 4means forlimiting` relative separation of said members in service and maintaining said mechanism of maximumy uniform overall length including a retainer bolt-anchored at one end to one of said members, a retaining nut on the other end of 'said bolt, and a second .nut'on said bolt inwardly lof saidfrst nut, said second vnut being in.threaded;'engagement with said bolt when' the mechanism' `i's-initiallyassembled and in shouldered engagement with the other of said movable members for temporarily holding the mechanism partly compressed to an overall length less than said maximum overall length, said second named nut being relatively thin to permit stripping of the threads thereof and movebetween the first named retaining nut of the bolt and the movable member at the corresponding end of the mechanism.

4. In a shock absorbing mechanism for railway draft riggings, the combinaiton with relatively movable members, and spring means interposed between said members and yieldingly resisting relative approach thereof; of a retainer bolt anchored at one end to one of said members; and inner and outer spaced nuts threaded on the other end of said bolt, the inner nut having shouldered engagement` with the other of said members when the mechanism is initially assembled, the threaded connection between said inner nut and the bolt being weakened to strip when subjected to the recoil action of the mechanism, thereby disengaging said inner nut from the bolt and permitting expansion of the mechanism to its maximum overall length held by said outer nut.

5. In a shock absorbing mechanism for railway draft riggings, the combination with relatively movable members and spring means interposed between said members and yieldingly resisting relative approach thereof; of a retainer bolt anchored at one end to one of said members; a relatively heavy retaining nut secured to the other end of said bolt for limiting relative separation of said movable members in service and maintaining said mechanism of maximum uniform overall length; and a temporary retaining nut on said bolt in shouldered engagement with the other of said members for holding said mechanism partly compressed when initially assembled, said temporary nut having loose threaded engagement with said bolt and being spaced inwardly from said first named nut, said temporary nut being relatively thin to permit stripping of the threaded connection thereof with the bolt through the recoil action of said mechanism in service, said temporary nut being slidable lengthwise of the bolt after the threads have been stripped and acting as a filler between said rst named nut and the shoulder of the movable member at the corresponding end of the mechanism.

6. In a shock absorbing mechanism for railway draft riggings, the combination with relatively movable members adapted to absorb shocks upon relative approach thereof; of spring means opposing relative approach of said members; and means for limiting relative separation of said members in service and maintaining said mechanism of maximum uniform overall length including a retainer bolt anchored at one end to one of said members, a retaining nut on the other end of said bolt, and a second retaining nut on the bolt inwardly of said first nut, said second nut being in threaded engagement with said bolt when the mechanism is initially assembled and in shouldered engagement with the other of said movable members for temporarily holding said 10'l mechanism partly compressed to an overall WILLIAM A. HEITNER. 

